1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a multifunctional digital image forming apparatus (MFP: Multi Function Peripheral) collectively having the copy function, the print function, the FAX function and other functions, a job execution method of the image processing apparatus, and a computer readable recording medium having a job execution program recorded therein to make a computer of the image processing apparatus execute processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
Among the image processing apparatuses such as the above-described multifunctional digital image forming apparatuses, there is an image processing apparatus having an installed browser that is application software to view Web pages. Installation of this browser provides the image forming apparatus, a function to display on an operation panel thereof, a job instruction screen of an external server (i.e. a job instruction screen set by an external server), and remotely instruct the external server to issue a job.
This image processing apparatus allows users to view document data recorded in the external server and gives a print instruction, via the browser installed thereon by operating the operation panel.
More concretely, via the browser, the image processing apparatus accesses the external server and requests the external server to provide screen data of a job instruction screen of the external server. And also via the browser, the image processing apparatus displays the job instruction screen on the operation panel, based on the screen data that is transmitted by the external server in response to the request.
Referring to the job instruction screen of the external server, which is displayed on the operation panel, a user specifies subject data to be processed and a subject job to be executed, for example a print job. And then, the image processing apparatus transmits to the external server, a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) request for issuance of the specified job. Receiving the job issuance request, the external server issues the job, and the job is executed by the image processing apparatus. Furthermore, the external server transmits to the image processing apparatus, a result of receipt of the CGI request, in other words, a notice telling that a job is properly issued in response to the job issuance request received from the image processing apparatus, and this notice is displayed on the operation panel of the image processing apparatus.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-034576, there is a technology intended to improve the operability by well coordinating contents stored inside and contents obtained from outside if those are displayed by different browsers.
A communication between the above-described browser installed on the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus is performed over HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), although subject data to be processed according to a job is transmitted over another protocol, for example LPR (Line PRinter daemon protocol). If HTRP is employed, a screen displayed on a display of the image processing apparatus only can be updated according to a request given via the browser, and never can be updated according to a screen update instruction given by the server.
In conventional practice, a notice telling that a job is properly issued by the external server, which is a result of receipt of a CGI request, is transmitted to the image processing apparatus, then displayed on the operation panel of the image processing apparatus, as described above. However, a screen displayed thereon never can be updated after that. Thus, a notice telling whether or not a job is successfully transmitted (received by the image processing apparatus) is not displayed thereon and there is no way for the user to know a result of job transmission.
And a job execution of the image processing apparatus is an operation that is performed inside of the image processing apparatus not depending on a protocol employed by the external server. Thus, information indicating whether or not the job is successfully executed and whether or not an error occurs and other information are not displayed on the operation panel of the image processing apparatus.
As described above, the conventional image processing apparatus that allows users to instruct an external server to issue a print job, via the browser by operating the operation panel, does not allow them to know a result of job receipt and/or a job execution status after the job is properly issued by the external server, which is not convenient.
And the technology disclosed in the publication above does not provide a complete solution against the problem.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.